Wednesday, 3 August 2016

Repairing a Jem - by Fellpoint in the '70s

Some great period shots came in via Jeremy Harrison‎, who's restoring a Mini Jem Mk2 and found out the car had undergone body repairs in the 1970s. And what's more: this job was carried out in Penn Garage, where Jem builder Robin Statham had his company Fellpoint Ltd based, and there are some good photographs to prove it.

Jeremy wrote: "After I bought this 1969 Mini Cooper 'S' based Mini Jem, a few years ago, I dismantled the car to a bare body shell and embarked on a complete restoration. After about 6 months, the original owner turned up to see the progress I was making and surprised me with a set of photos of car taken after it has been hit in the rear by a lorry, which pushed it into the car in front damaging both ends. He had had the car repaired by Fellpont, the builders of Mini Jems in the 1970s. My bare shell restoration is now almost complete, with the exception of the wiring and interior trim. It is now fitted with an MED 1380 Clubman engine giving 120 bhp with a 45 DCOE Webber carb, a close ratio, straight-cut, 4 speed MED gearbox, adjustable suspension with Konis all round and up-rated Cooper "S" disc brakes. It promises to be rather rapid when completed because it weighs only 5 cwt on the road." Love it!

A collision with a truck led to some severe body damage on this 1969 Mini Jem

Picture courtesy Jeremy Harrison

And not just the front - the rear had been hit, too, as can be seen here

Picture courtesy Jeremy Harrison

Petrol tank still in place but that body needed the craftsmanship of Fellpoint…

Picture courtesy Jeremy Harrison

Front repaired. Fellpoint Ltd. must have used the original car's moulding to do so

Picture courtesy Jeremy Harrison

And the same goes for the rear. All this was carried out at Penn Garage, Hazlemere Road, Bucks.

Picture courtesy Jeremy Harrison

This is how the car looked when Jeremy got hold of it. Note ingot an opening rear hatch now

Picture courtesy Jeremy Harrison

And once again it was stripped to a bare shell to undergo severe body restoration

Picture courtesy Jeremy Harrison

Almost there! It looks Jeremy's Jem will be resurrected very nicely soon